ANDREW TAN
BUSINESS TYCOON, MEGAWORLD
Andrew Tan has a healthy respect for heritage. When your primary business is in property development, it helps to have more than the working knowledge of the structures that have hosted generations of forefathers and served as a silent witness to history.
But when you are a visionary, and your communities amend the very shape and nature of their host city, heritage only goes so far. In Mr. Tan’s case, the significance of heritage lies not in the old walls but in new foundations. Heritage should not confine: it should inspire, leaving the sky open, a blank sheet upon which a revolutionary skyline might be etched.
The architecture of Spain, Italy, and France are among those that inspire Mr. Tan the most. “I have always been fascinated with how these cities flourished and how arts and architecture have taken an integral part in the rise of these cities,” the CEO of Megaworld Corporation and third on Forbes’ Richest in the Philippines list tells Lifestyle Asia. “We have pioneered this trend of bringing international architectural inspiration into our township communities in the Philippines.”
These townships, are where you will find the final renderings of the skyline according to the Megaworld vision. Independent clusters encompass office buildings, schools, shopping malls, condos, single-family homes, and recreational venues. His biggest contribution as global Pinoy is how he introduced and pioneered the LIVE-WORK-PLAYLEARN township concept in real estate development in the Philippines. And he makes worldclass townships inspired by cities such as Madrid, Paris and Venice.
In more ways than one, Mr. Tan has laid the world at the feet of Juan and Maria dela Cruz. He gives all Pinoys the chance to become a global Pinoy: echoes of the Mediterranean light up McKinley Hill, while the sprinkling of French and Spanish touches in Eastwood City would pique any architect’s curiosity. But while Europe has captured his imagination, the Philippines is always foremost in his heart.
“When it comes to enriching the lives of Filipinos and contributing to the national economy, we believe there is so much more that we can do,” he says. “Today, we work harder and with more passion than ever, knowing there are still many people out there who have yet to enjoy the blessings of a better life.—BP”